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438022

	registered interest
	date	14/12/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Kamal Foroughi
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will take steps to assist in securing the release of Kamal Foroughi from Evin Prison in Iran.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Perry Barr
	tabling member printed	Mr Khalid Mahmood
	uin	19984
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2015 answer text We remain very concerned about the case of dual-national Mr Kamal Foroughi. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and as such has not granted us consular access. I met his family on 1 December, and confirmed that we have raised this with the Iranian authorities on repeated occasions, urging Iran to provide regular medical assistance and access to a lawyer which are both key to securing his release. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised this with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and President Rouhani during his visit to Iran in August. He also raised it most recently with Foreign Minister Zarif in New York at the UN General Assembly in September. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) raised the case with President Rouhani during a telephone call in July, and wrote a further letter on the matter in October regarding our consular cases. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 17/12/2015 16:59:57 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	1392 label Biography information for Mr Khalid Mahmood

419526

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach families in the North of Yemen despite the blockade of port Hodieda.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
	tabling member printed	Harry Harpham
	uin	10565
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text We remain very concerned about access for commercial and humanitarian shipping in Yemen. The UK has made clear to all parties that access for commercial goods and humanitarian aid, including via Hodeidah port, must be improved, and emphasised the importance of the non-politicisation of aid. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient. The UK has so far announced £75 million in humanitarian aid – delivered through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 14/10/2015 12:06:00 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4477 label Biography information for Harry Harpham

422638

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Yemen: Jews
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Yemeni government on treatment of the Jewish community in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	12574
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2015 answer text We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen. The conflict and temporary suspension of Embassy operations in Sana’a in February 2015 has hampered our ability to pursue human rights work. The UK has previously lobbied the Yemeni Government – both bilaterally and through the Human Rights Council – on a wide range of human rights issues. We continue to raise the importance of compliance with human rights law with all sides to the conflict and to find a political solution to the conflict, which will help create the conditions for the legitimate Government to improve its capacity to protect human rights. The UK welcomes Yemen's commitment at the last Human Rights Council session to cooperate with the UN on protection of human rights. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/10/2015 15:44:55 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

421379

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Syria: Russia
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Russian intervention in Syria; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	12012
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text We remain committed to seeking a political solution to the conflict. Russia’s intervention in Syria, including targeting the moderate opposition, has complicated an already difficult situation. We are actively engaging with international partners to address this and to reinvigorate a political process that leads to a solution based on the principles of the Geneva Communiqué. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 16:36:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

419530

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Egypt: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect people defending women's rights in Egypt.
	tabling member constituency	Rotherham
	tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
	uin	10628
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text We regularly raise the importance of human rights, including women’s, with the Egyptian government at both ministerial and official levels, and our Embassy in Cairo continues to monitor alleged cases of sexual and gender-based violence. In 2014 the UK sponsored a delegation of Egyptian Ministry of Justice officials to meet UK counterparts and discuss issues of gender-based violence. These discussions helped inform drafting of the new Egyptian law passed under interim President Adly Mansour, which criminalised sexual harassment in Egypt for the first time. At the UN’s Universal Periodic Review of Egypt’s human rights situation on 5 November 2014 the UK made recommendations focussing on the ability of civil society to operate freely and the protection of women’s rights, which were accepted by Egypt. We continue to discuss the issue of gender-based violence with the Government of Egypt and are seeking practical ways that we can work together in this area. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 14/10/2015 12:30:52 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

437895

	registered interest
	date	14/12/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Syria: Refugees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential change in numbers of Syrian refugees arriving in Europe as a result of the commencement of UK airstrikes in Syria.
	tabling member constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
	tabling member printed	Richard Arkless
	uin	19772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2015 answer text We have not made any estimates of the potential increase in numbers of Syrian refugees arriving in Europe as a result of UK airstrikes. The majority of people who have been displaced in Syria have been fleeing regime and Daesh attacks. Unlike the Assad regime and its allies, who are bombing indiscriminately, Coalition military efforts in both Iraq and Syria are specifically designed to minimise civilian casualties. Targets are selected through rigorous protocol, based on the principles of proportionality, legality and military necessity. As the the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) confirmed to the House on 16 December we are not aware of any civilian casualties as a result of the RAF airstrikes in Syria. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/12/2015 14:37:17 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4387 label Biography information for Richard Arkless

419527

	registered interest
	date	17/09/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make representations to all parties in the conflict in Yemen to ensure humanitarian access.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
	tabling member printed	Harry Harpham
	uin	10566
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2015 answer text We have made clear to all parties to the conflict that they must take all reasonable steps to facilitate access for humanitarian aid, and have emphasised the importance of non-politicisation of aid, as well as the need to facilitate access for commercial goods. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi-led military coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient, which should further ease access for aid. The Foreign Secretary met President Hadi on 28 September and spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Al Jubeir on 29 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly, and underlined the importance the UK attaches to finding a political solution to the current crisis as soon as possible. The Foreign Secretary also reinforced the necessity of full compliance with international humanitarian law and of facilitating access humanitarian and commercial shipping to the Saudi Foreign Minister. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) co-chaired an international meeting on the Yemen humanitarian crisis on 28 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly. This was attended by representatives of the military coalition governments and by the government of Yemen. In this meeting, she reiterated that it was critical for all parties to the conflict to facilitate immediate humanitarian access into and within Yemen, and lift any restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping. To tackle the humanitarian crisis, the UK has so far announced £75 million – through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis, including those forced to flee their homes, with emergency shelter, healthcare, water and food assistance, as well as supporting UN work to co-ordinate the humanitarian response. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 14/10/2015 12:28:42 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4477 label Biography information for Harry Harpham

421072

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Syria: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the level of sexual violence (a) within Syria and (b) in camps for Syrian refugees.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	11597
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text We are extremely concerned by the high levels of sexual violence in Syria and within Syrian refugee camps. The UN Commission of Inquiry report of September 2015 highlighted widespread sexual abuse carried out by the Syrian regime, ISIL and some armed opposition groups within Syria. Assad’s forces and militia are responsible for the vast majority of sexual violence, which include threats, rape, degrading body searches and sexual harassment in prisons and branches of the security agencies. ISIL propaganda condones the barbaric treatment of male and female captives, sexual relations with adolescent girls and sexual slavery. Unfortunately, many of those who flee the conflict remain extremely vulnerable to sexual violence. Exploitation of vulnerable individuals within refugee camps was highlighted by the UN Equity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women report “We keep Silent” issued in April 2014. The UK is providing £1 billion in humanitarian aid, which includes support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide services for survivors of sexual violence and has so far reached over 27,000 women in Syria. We are also supporting case management in Jordan for over 800 survivors and cash assistance to vulnerable refugee women in Lebanon. The FCO has committed £5.2 million to projects preventing sexual violence in Syria. We are supporting projects to train health professionals and human rights defenders in collecting and preserving evidence of human rights abuses including sexual violence. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 14:08:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood previous answer version 23902 answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

420047

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Palestinians
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism in enabling the construction and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
	tabling member constituency	Greenwich and Woolwich
	tabling member printed	Matthew Pennycook
	uin	11250
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text Through the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) over 95,000 people have now been able to buy materials to repair homes that were damaged during the conflict. However, we are concerned that none of the homes destroyed have been rebuilt yet. We therefore welcome the June 2015 agreement between the Israeli and the Palestinian authorities on the Residential Stream of the GRM to support the reconstruction of homes that were completely destroyed. DFID is providing £700,000 to the Materials Monitoring Unit which monitors the import, storage, supply and use of construction materials into Gaza under the GRM. The UK is also calling on all donors to disburse pledges made at the October 2014 Cairo Gaza Reconstruction Conference without delay. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 13:57:54 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	4520 label Biography information for Matthew Pennycook

419789

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2015
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Arms Trade: Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the sale of arms manufactured by UK companies to governments which have committed human rights abuses.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	10747
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text This Government supports a responsible defence and security industry that helps meet the legitimate defence needs of other states, and contributes to their security and law and order. We take our arms export responsibilities very seriously and we operate one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All defence and dual-use exports are required to meet the UK’s strict export control legislation and adhere to the UK international commitments including international treaties and obligations. Each application for an export licence is subject to rigorous case-by-case assessment against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 13:36:36 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman